The Niece
by MalfoyHatfieldMcCoyWinchester
Summary: Peter Burke has a niece, Neal questions it. But he seems to like her. Is it bad or good? Will Neal try something with Dani? Will Dani fall for the tall, dark, charming, and gorgeous con man? Or when all else fails, will Neal need Dani's help?
1. Chapter One

_**I will be doing a few song suggestions so, maybe listen to Troublemaker by Olly Murs ft. Flo Rida with this chapter? It works. :D **_

–_**-**_

Danielle Collins. Peter Burke's niece. The girl who always showed up for work, not in a skirt, nor a pantsuit but ripped skinny jeans, t-shirts and biker boots.

"Who's that?" Neal Caffrey asked, gesturing towards the tall girl... no, woman, walking around the office with studded biker boots hitting the ground and the chain on her waist...Her belt, jingling as she walked.

Peter looked up from his paperwork. "My niece." He said.

Neal did a double take. "You have a niece?"

"Yeah. Stay away from her." Peter said, looking at Neal's expression. Neal made a noise and shook his head.

"I wasn't...Yeah I was." He said while grinning. Peter looked at him.

"Stay _away _from her." Peter warned, standing up and making a motion with his hand and the jingling got louder as the woman walked in.

"Yeah?" She asked. Peter handed her the paperwork he held.

"Make two copies of each document and then return the original to me." He said. The woman nodded. Neal followed her while looking at Peter and made an excited face. Peter rubbed his neck, glaring at Neal.

The woman looked over her shoulder. "Do you need something?" She asked him.

"Dani!" She heard, Dani snapped her head towards the voice and made a sharp turn.

"Yeah?"

"My computer froze...It won't-"

"Did you try turning it on and off again, Jeff?" She asked. He scratched his neck and shook his neck.

"No...Hey it worked! Thank you!" 'Jeff' said.

Dani walked back to where she was and started walking towards the copier, holding Peter's file.

"So, Dani." Neal said, catching up with her. "You help with computers and copies?"

Dani nodded. "And I'm the coffee girl." Dani stated, stopping in the copy room, Neal standing next to her. She put in her copy code and set it all up, moving fast. Neal watched her.

"You're Peter's niece." He started.

"And your his ex-con." Dani cut in.

Neal chuckled, leaning against the wall, knowing she was watching him. He smiled charmingly and watched her. Dani made her copies and looked at him. "Seriously though," Dani started. "Do you need something?"

Neal was about to say 'Your phone number' but grinned at her. "Coffee, sometime. With you?"

"No. I thought you meant with Caspar the friendly ghost."

Neal's brain was telling him to just go away and leave her be but _something else _was telling him to go with it. "C'mon." He said, pushing himself off the wall and walking to stand next to her. He looked at her, they were about the same height, _with her boots on. _

Neal kept smiling, he looked at her and reached out and took hold of her hand. "It's just coffee." He stated. Dani sighed.

"Okay." Neal smirked in victory and was about to walk out when Dani grabbed his sleeve. "Don't even dare tell my uncle."

"Why not?" Neal asked, furrowing his eyebrows innocently.

''He'll have me sent somewhere else and he'll have you under house arrest for _life." _Dani said.

Neal shrugged. "It's just coffee." And he walked away, knowing full well it isn't just 'coffee'. Dani sighed, quickly walking to Peter's office and handing him the original and a copy. Then she went to the clerk room and filed the other copy. Dani walked into the small lounge type room and sat down, putting her feet up on the table and plugging in her ear buds.

Turning on "Teenagers" by My Chemical Romance. She was drumming her fingers when Peter walked in and smacked her boots. She rolled her eyes and removed her feet from the table. "What?" She asked, turning down her music a little bit.

"El said to call you and say she needs a little help with dinner, if you aren't busy." Peter replied.

Dani looked at him with an "Are-you-serious?" look. He glanced at her. "What?"

"Do I look busy to you?" She asked.

He scoffed. "You always seem to." Peter stated,

Dani mumbled something inaudible and went to stand up when her chair started to fall backwards and someone caught it. Instead of turning around to look she just bent her head back and looked up. The back of her head almost touched his belt buckle and she felt Peter's glare. Dani stared up at a one tall, dark and blue eyed Neal. She stared up at him and Neal down at her.

He pushed her chair forward, carefully, and let go of it. He smirked. "You okay?"

Dani nodded. Moving her head forward and she yelped in pain. Neal looked at her, a few of her long brown hair, the ends of it, stuck in his buckle. He carefully removed it and glanced at Peter. Who was full on glaring and giving Neal a look.

And if looks could kill, Neal would be laying on the ground. Dead.

But sadly, for Peter anyway, they couldn't. Dani thanked him and quickly got out of her seat. "I have to make a coffee run..."

"We have a whole pot." Jones said as she rushed out of the lounge.

"_Real _coffee." She replied, grabbing her leather jacket and backpack. Neal looked out the window and say her walking down the street. He smirked to himself till Peter chuckled.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Peter asked, a glare evident in his voice. Neal looked at Peter.

"Whatever are you talking about?" He asked.

Peter crossed his arms over his chest. "What part of stay away from her do you not understand?" He asked, holding back some anger.

"I don't see what the big deal is." Neal said. "Why can't I catch her chair?"

"Because it isn't just chair catching! It'll become that, the coffee, then the next thing you know you're involving my niece in some heist that'll get her killed! All because you turned on the charm!" Peter shouted.

"Just have some faith in me." Neal said.

Peter shook his head, pointing his finger at Neal. "No. No, I will not '_have some faith' _in you, Neal! I don't want Dani involved with you!" He said sternly.

Neal rolled his eyes. "Peter-"

"She's too young for you!"

"How old is she?" Neal asked.

"...Twenty nine but look-"

"Whoa, she's twenty nine? She doesn't look a day over twenty three..." Neal said.

"Ne-"

"How is she your niece if she's that old- You are thirty six how is she-"

"She just is! Just- Just stay away from her!"

"That makes about...hm, zero sense. Peter, how is she your niece? And her last name...That's only a seven year age gap-''

"She took her mom's last name and my older brother..." Peter cut in. "He uh...He is ten years older than me. He uh...Ask Dani. She might tell you. Never mind, don't. Stay away from her."

Neal looked at him and sighed. He heard small cheers and looked outside. "Coffee!" He shouted. He ran out and got a cup, sipping it and thanking Dani, who, in turn, kept looking away from him. After Peter got coffee, and everyone was either sipping coffee and eating bagels or muffins or doing all three, Neal grabbed Dani's sleeve and tugged her towards the meeting room.

Dani stared at him. "Need something?"

Neal nodded. "Tomorrow, seven A.M. I'll pick you up."

"Do you know where Peter lives?"

"Yeah." Neal said.

"I'll be there. I usually crash there when I can't sleep."

Neal smiled. "Okay."

Dani smiled back and walked away.

-xXx-

Dani had gone home, to the Burke's anyway, early to help Elizabeth with dinner. They had been cooking and laughing, sipping wine while doing so.

"So how's work?" El asked.

"Good." Dani said. "It's good."

"How's Peter been?"

"Good."

"Meet anyone?" El asked, stirring some pasta sauce.

Dani was about to shake her head when Neal popped into her mind. She hid a smile, because his charming, gorgeous smile made her smile. El glanced at her.

"Someone come to mind?" El asked, grinning.

"Not really." Dani answered.

-xXx-

After Peter, Elizabeth and Dani all ate; Dani did dishes and went upstairs. She changed and got into the spare bedroom's bed. Her body sunk into the fluffy bed and warm blankets. Dani was halfway happy to being able to have coffee with Neal and upset because she knew Uncle Peter would be angry with her if he found out.

Dani kept thinking what Peter might do, just because she'll have coffee with Neal. She hated to think he might shoot Neal over something as stupid as a cup of Joe. She knew Peter didn't want her being near the con man but she didn't care. His charm had worked its way under her skin, in a good way...She guessed.

Dani rubbed her forehead, her racing mind slowing to a steady pace as she drifted off to sleep. Her soft breathing making not a noise in the dark, quiet room.

~XxX~


	2. Chapter Two

Dani stared at herself in the mirror. She sighed loudly as she threw a shirt across the room. Dani decided to just put on jeans. But...Nice jeans. Not because Neal deserved un-ripped jeans but because...Ugh. She doesn't know why. Maybe she likes him a little bit? He is easy on the eyes after all.

Dani finished applying some mascara and eye-liner then heard the doorbell ring. She changed into (my Polyvore link will be in my about, click the link and go to the collection called "The Niece", the set for this chapter will be titled "Chapter Two") Dani walked down the stairs, pushing some hair behind her ear. She opened the door to find a one, sharp dressed man, leaning against the door jam.

"Hey there." Neal said, throwing in a smile. Dani's knees felt weak but she regained her posture from slouching slightly.

"Hi." She said. She closed the door, right at the moment he pushed himself off the jam. Standing in front of Dani, Neal's eyes met her's as she stood against the door. She sucked in a breath and looked up at him. Neal took note on how she was a bit shorter than him. About three inches shorter than his six foot self. Neal stepped back, letting her walk in front of him. Checking her out a little bit then walking next to her.

-xXx-

By the time they sat down with coffee they were laughing and telling stories. Neal took a sip of his coffee and looked at Dani. "So, what's the deal with your last name?"

Dani looked at him. "I...Uh...My mom's last name is Collins. And my mom and dad didn't get married till I was five."

"Oh." Neal said. "Then how are you so close in age to Peter?"

"Because my mom had me when she was seventeen and my dad was seventeen too. He joined the army the day after I was born." Neal nodded. His blue eyes following her green ones.

"Okay."

"And uh...My mom...She's the reason I'm in the FBI business. She was kidnapped by a drug cartel and went into a prostitution ring and when my uncle...When Peter found her...She...She wasn't alive. She had been missing for three years...And..." Dani said, tears clouding her eyes. Neal reached out and grabbed her hand, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb.

"Its okay. You don't have to talk about it." Neal replied.

"My dad was twenty six when he stole sixteen works of art from a museum in Chicago. He got arrested and got sent to jail. He served the rest of his time in the army, still, and is still in it. Being in his forties." Dani finished. Wiping her eyes and standing up.

"Thanks for the coffee." She whispered.

-xXx-

Dani hit her head against the door to the women's rest-room at the bureau. _I can't believe I told him all that. _She thought to herself. _I'm so stupid. I blew my chance trying to talk to him. _

She finished touching up what little make-up she had on when Diana walked in. "Hey!'' She said.

Dani nodded to her and walked out, walking over to her small desk and sitting down. She set her bag in her lock drawer over a few things and closed it back up, locking it and looking at the set of files in her little box on her desk for files to be copied. Dani started to the copy machine and followed the instructions on the multi-colored sticky notes. She filed them properly and delivered them back to the people who asked for them.

She got back to her desk when she saw another file in the box. She sighed and picked it up. The sticky note on it said:

"_If you could copy this for me and put it on my desk and file the copy, that'd be great. And so would another cup of coffee with you on Tuesday at eight. - Neal" _

Dani smiled to herself. _I didn't scare him away after all. _

-xXx-

After Dani made the copy she walked over to Neal's desk and set down the file. Dani accidentally kicked his trash bin and stumbled. She bent down and picked up the things and put them back in the basket. But she took note of all the sticky notes she was putting back. She uncrumpled one and it said

_"Hey Dani. :) Coffee at eight on Tuesday?-N"  
_

She uncrumpled another really quickly and read it. _"Hi. :) Could you copy this for me and catch coffee with me sometime on Tuesday?-N.C." _Dani smiled slightly. He had a bunch of other sticky notes. She heard the talking of Neal and Peter getting louder and quickly threw the sticky notes back in the trash. She grabbed a pencil off his desk and the second they came over she stood up and set the pencil on his desk.

"Got that copy for you." She said quietly, drumming it with her fingers and walking over to the coffee machine. Neal smiled over to her and sat down as he asked Peter a question.

"Is she even an FBI agent?" Neal asked and Dani over heard as she walked back to her desk.

"Yes. She is. She just doesn't like walking around with a badge and gun all the time. Guns aren't her favourite thing in the world." Peter said. "At least she doesn't want them pointed at her."

Neal nodded. ''I get that." Peter clicked his tongue and walked back to his office. Neal turned his head to look at Dani, who was typing without looking and staring at a case to her right. Neal smirked, noting her little 'talent' that wasn't super uncommon but that isn't that easy to do.

-xXx-

Dani was outside, on her break, smoking. Neal walked out to her and looked at it.

"Do you do that often?" He asked, trying to make conversation and realising how rude it sounded after it came out.

Dani shook her head. "Not that often. I usually do it when I'm stressed out."

"Why would you be stressed out?" He asked, sitting next to her on the cobblestone front, where the small rose bushes where.

"The case I've been working on...Something doesn't add up with it."

"And what would that be?" Neal asked.

"This guy...He stole three ancient Greek pots from a museum but there is no sign of the guy getting in, or out."

"SO how do you know they were taken?" Neal questioned.

"Because they were there a week ago but they haven't been there sense Thursday." Dani replied.

Neal nodded. Dani glanced to him, putting out her cigarette. "If it were you, what would you do?" Then she rubbed her elbow and quickly added. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Well... If it were me," He started. "I'd make sure I knew where all the cameras were, then I'd make sure I'd have a way to go in and exit without anyone seeing me or notice me."

Dani nodded.

"Then I would, y'know, I'd check the routine of everyone there. I would hope to make sure that no guards were guarding my target item."

Dani nodded. "But like...How would you know if someone were to sneak up on you?"

"You wouldn't. You need to be a quick thinker. If you aren't...You need to have a friend with you who is. Or just a person. Someone you're comfortable with losing."

Dani's eyes widened slightly. Neal looked at her. "I know, I know. It sounds kinda cruel but in that line of work you can't really get close to many people but you need someone you can trust."

Neal shrugged. "That's about it."

Dani gently nudged his shoulder. "Thanks Neal."

He smiled and nodded. "Any-time. It is literally what I'm here for." She smiled back and walked back inside.

Neal watched after her and made a little "humph" noise.

"You hittin' that?" Someone asked.

Neal looked up, shaking his head. "Nice way to say hi, Max."

Max rolled his eyes. "Are you?"

"No." Neal said.

"Then she's up for grabs." Max replied with a smirk.

Neal gritted his teeth. "Stay away from her Max."

Max smiled. "Sure thing bud."

Neal watched Max walk away and turned around.

"I'll see you at your place in half an hour?'' He shouted.

"Sure." Neal shouted back to the blond haired man.

_If you don't touch Dani we won't have a problem. _Neal thought to himself.

~XxX~


	3. Chapter Three

_**So basically, I've gotten quite a few PM's saying that jealous Neal is an awesome Neal. So I'm going to incorporate Max in more to make that happen more but not too much.**_

**~XxX~**

**Disclaimer: I don't own White Collar or anything having to do with it. I only own my characters.**

~XxX~

Neal yawned, sitting at his desk as Dani walked in, sipping coffee but she wasn't alone. Max was with her. The tall, blond, bright blue eyed, and very attractive, Irish con-man. To Dani. He was almost as attractive to Neal. Dani said in her head.

Peter walked out of his office the second Max smirked at Neal. Neal clenched his jaw. Peter walked up to Neal's desk, drumming his fingers on it. "Who's he?" Peter asked, seething as he pointed to the man with his arm slung around Dani's shoulder.

As Neal was about to answer he came over. "Top 'o the mornin' to ya, laddies." He said directing it to Peter and Neal.

"I'm Peter." Peter said, shaking the man's hand. "Dani's uncle."

"I'm Max." The Irish man said. "Dani's boyfriend."

Neal sat forward immediately from leaning back in his chair. Choking on the coffee he had taken a drink of, narrowing his eyes at Max. Peter glanced at Neal.

"Uh...How long have you been dating Dani?" Peter asked.

Dani rolled her eyes, starting to laugh, "He's joking. We're friends. He bumped into me yesterday and I spilled coffee all over myself so he bought me another cup and we chatted." Peter nodded, obviously in relief. Neal had a harsh glare set on Max. All Max did was continue to smirk.

Max took his arm off Dani's shoulder. "She's a nice gal, Petey. Neal we need to talk." Max said.

Max walked over to the elevators and waited for him. As Neal stood up, Peter took hold of his arm.

"You know him?"

Neal nodded. "Yeah..."

"Please tell me it isn't in the way I think."

"Well if you're thinking he's a con-man...You're thinking correctly." Neal said, then walked over to the elevators and got into one with Max.

-xXx-

"Look...Neal, I think Dani's a hot las, so if I were you-" Max started but was cut off by Neal slamming him against the elevator wall.

"Don't _touch her. _I don't want her involved in your little cons."

Max looked at Neal, pushing Neal off him. "My cons? What about your's, Caffrey?"

"Mine are simple. Your's...They're suicide missions."

"Am I dead yet?" Max asked, a smirk starting to grow on his face.

"No. But you've been shot, kidnapped, choked, tortured, you've been sent to prison, and a whole bunch of other stuff I don't care to mention!"

"So?''

Neal was about to answer, when the elevator's doors opened and they were in the lobby. Max smiled at Neal, stepping out of the elevator and walking out the doors. Neal followed close behind him, as Max glanced at him.

"So, Neal," Max started "I am in the United States this is a free country. _I can and I will do what I want."_

"Like use Dani as bait for some drug ring that you can pull a scam on?"

"Yeah. Like that. But it doesn't matter. I won't. At least not yet anyway, she has to trust me first."

Max hailed a cab and opened the door. "Look, Neal. She's fair game."

"She isn't some piece of meat, Max."

"Well, to me, she is. I can use her on some jobs...They don't call me the million dollar thief for nothing."

Neal clenched his jaw as Max got into the cab and closed the door. He rolled down the window. "Have a good day, laddie." And he rolled it back up as the cab drove away. Neal walked back up to the building. Getting out his cell phone and dialing Mozzie.

"Moz...We got a problem. A big problem."

"Neal...What is it?"

"Max...He's in New York."

"But the last time he was here..."

"I know Moz. He's here to score..."

"So M.D. Thief will strike again?"

"Moz?"

"Yeah Neal?"

"Where are you?"

"Your place."

"Don't go anywhere...I think I know where he's headed."

-xXx-

Neal quickly burst into his room, finding Mozzie sitting there, with Max.

"Max." Neal said.

"Hey, lad. I figure since I knew where you lived, I'd drop by. Found Mozzie too." Max stated, gesturing to the nervous looking man in front of him.

"I'll be right back." Mozzie said. He stood up, grabbing Neal's coat sleeve and practically dragging him into the closet.

"He's been interrogating me since he's been here." Moz said quickly.

Neal furrowed his eyebrows. "He has?"

"Yeah. And about things we don't talk about, for instance, Kate, what cons we're pulling or we will be pulling, the FBI following you around like a bunch of lost puppies, oh...And some girl named Dani. He said she'd be the perfect bait for something- I don't trust him."

Neal clenched his jaw. "What about Kate?"

"He asked if you two are still dating..."

"Did you tell him she's dead?"

"No." Moz replied.

"Why not?"

"That isn't mine to tell..."

"Okay...I don't care so much about the con thing but the girl, Dani. She's Peter's niece."

"He has a niece?"

"Yeah." Neal confirmed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Wait a second...Max said he thinks you like her...Who is she Neal?"

"She's an agent."

"Did he walk into the bureau with her!?" Moz asked.

"Yeah. His arm around her. Peter doesn't like him."

"Neither do I!" Mozzie shot back.

"Well, I don't like him either. But he is here for a reason, Moz."

"Probably to score big."

"Neal," Mozzie started. "What if he's here for you?"

"No...He knows I'm like a dog on a leash for the bureau."

"So? Maybe he needs something from you." Mozzie added.

"Or someone." Neal said quietly.

-xXx-

"Thanks for stopping bye Max." Neal said, as he started to close the door behind him.

"You aren't thankful." Max said, noticing Neal's urgency to get him out.

"Well sorry for not want another con in my apartment who suddenly drops into New York, trying to find bait." Neal spit out.

Max laughed. "I think honesty doesn't work well with you, bye lad. Bye Moz."

Moz nodded at him. Neal closed the door after Max left. A few minutes later a knock came.

"Neal?" He heard June's voice.

"Come in!" Neal said. The door opened as June walked in, her palm pushing against the door.

"Is that rat coming back here?" She deadpanned.

Neal looked at her. "What?"

"That million dollar thief. Is he coming back here?"

"I thought you liked con men?" Mozzie asked.

"Not him. He makes me uneasy." June replied, holding her hands together. Mozzie nodded.

"Me too."

June and and Mozzie looked at Neal. "What are you gonna do about him?" June asked.

"I think he needs bait..." Neal said. "For some big score he's planning."

June nodded. Mozzie started talking. "And Neal and I think we know, who he is going after..."

"Well, we do know." Neal said, cutting off Moz.

"Who?" June asked.

"Peter's niece."

"How old is she?" June asked.

"Twenty nine."

"How-" She started.

"It's a long story, really for another time." Neal said, standing up and putting on his coat again.

"I have some things to do." He stated, stepping out the door after grabbing his hat. "I'll be back later, bye."

June waved to him as did Mozzie.

"So you think Neal is going to warn Peter's niece?" June asked.

"If not Dani then he's going to warn Peter."

"I hope Max doesn't do it..."

"I think his plan is already in motion."

"What do you mean?"

"When we were talking about everything, Max brought up Dani. And Neal got this look on his face."

"You're saying Max has gotten under Neal's skin?"

"If he hasn't already he's starting too."

"Neal better be careful..." June commented, as she started walking out the door. Mozzie nodded.

"One can only hope..."

-XxX-


	4. Chapter Four

Neal had quickly gotten back to the bureau with Peter standing by the doors with a look on his face. Dani was beside him, making a call.

"Yeah- No. No. Stop. That is _not _what I said to do. No! For the love of God, Janet. Okay, look. He probably is just upset. Just- Get him something, okay?" She hung up and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Neal looked at her.

"Who was that?" Neal asked. Dani looked at him.

"Uh...No one. Not important." She said quickly. Peter was glaring at Neal.

"Where were you?" He asked sternly. Dani rolled her eyes.

"Never mind where he was, he's here now. We have a case." She said, handing him a file. "We're going to talk to a few people at the business right now."

"Neal, you ride with me." He said. Neal shrugged.

"I'd rather ride with Dani." Neal replied. He walked with Dani to her car and got in. "Nice car..." He said.

"Nineteen seventy three Dodge Charger." She said. "Black is a nice color on this car." Neal nodded in agreement. When he was buckling up he looked in the back and saw a car seat. But he didn't say anything. Dani glanced at him and to what he was looking at and causally replied.

"At my church, I help with daycare sometimes and I'm friends with one of the mom's and I drive her son home to her."

Neal nodded. "How old is he?"

"He's six. Really well behaved for a six year old, though." She said as she pulled out of the parking spot on the street and followed Peter. Neal tilted his head.

"Ah. Well, then she must be a proud mom." He replied. Dani nodded, going through a yellow light.

"She is...As she should be. Most of the kids are fit throwers and cry all the time. But he says thank you and please and doesn't throw too many fits."

Neal looked at her, she was smiling. He smiled at her's and looked out the window, watching Peter's car. Dani turned right and pulled into a parking space.

"Brennan Financial." Neal said, quickly skimming the file before he got out of the car. "Ponzi schemes...Bankruptcy, taking clients money...Fraud, more fraud..." He looked down the list and turned the pages. Seeing fraud typed all over them and dated. ''Lots of fraud...Redistribution of their clients' money. Wow." He said, handing the file to Dani as she tucked it in her briefcase under her seat. She got out as Neal did and locked the doors.

"So...What are we doing here?" Neal asked. "Shouldn't we be arresting Chandler Brennan?" He added. Dani shook her head.

"We need to talk to a few clients and some employees. I'll give them my card and they'll come down to the bureau and answer questions."

"Just like that?" Neal asked. Dani chuckled.

"No. They'll need a little...Push." She stated as she walked inside.

-xXx-

"Do you want to lose your job?" Dani asked some guy who tried to walk by her.

"No ma'am..." He said. Dani looked at her.

"I'm not a ma'am. Anyway, come down to the bureau and you will not be subject to losing your job if something happens. Okay? 'Cause sooner or later everything will get leaked."

The guy nodded at what Dani said and ran off. Peter came back with Neal by him.

''I gave three people my card." Peter said.

"I gave seven people my card." Dani said.

"So ten, ten is a good number. Right?" Neal asked.

Dani and Peter nodded in unison. "Yes." They both said. The three walked out of the large building and back to their modes of transportation. Neal still went with Dani and got in after she unlocked the doors. She handed him the file again and he started reading everything.

-xXx-

Dani had been walking around a lot at the bureau. Checking files, making copies, getting coffee, then, repeating and adding another thing into the mix. She went to Peter's office and asked him if he could borrow it. He walked out and she sat down.

"No...Janet. Which fruit punch? Juice Co.? Give him peas...He likes peas a lot. And carrots. Give him the mashes stuff. It'll help his stomach. He doesn't care...Unless I have some frozen peas that you can defrost- I do? Okay. Defrost them, heat them up, put them in a bowl then give him a spoon. I'll bring him something on my way home...Yeah. Yeah. Thanks Janet. I know it was short notice...I'll be sure to pay extra. Thank you. Yeah...Yeah, no problem. Bye." Dani said, hanging up and looking out the window. She had spun around in the chair, staring out the glass. Peter walked in and walked over to her.

"Is Ricky okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah...He's fine. Janet gave him some fruit punch and it didn't agree with him..." Dani said quietly.

"You okay?" Peter asked.

"Yeah...He's grown up so fast, Peter...He used to be so tiny..." She said, her eyes tearing up.

"I know, Dani...I know." Peter said, patting her shoulder.

"God I hope his father never comes back." She said, getting angry at the thought of him.

"He won't." Peter said. "If he does, arrest him. You have a restraining order against him."

Dani nodded. "I told Neal that the booster seat in the back of my car is for a six year old at my church...That I help with daycare."

"There are no six year olds. It's just five and below...For the children." He said.

''I know. I had to tell him something. I'm not just gonna spit out that I had sex with a guy, who committed fraud, beat me and threatened to kill me weeks after, that I have a son from him."

Peter watched her. "I still can't believe we haven't found him yet...He's smart."

"No, he isn't." Dani said. "He's an idiot. He's probably hiding in plain sight." She said, standing up, hugging Peter and walking out to the hallway and getting in an elevator. She held it as Neal came running.

"Thanks." He said. "Coffee, next week?" He asked her.

She nodded. "Sure. Wednesday at eight?" She replied. Neal nodded.

"Sure."

"It's a date...Well, not a date..." Dani said, looking down. He glanced at her. "You okay?"

"Fine." She said, her voice a little shaky. "I'm okay." She said a little louder, stepping out of the elevator. She walked outside. "I promise...Trust me." She said.

-XxX-


End file.
